Sophomore Katelyn Sogard has generations deeply rooted in her family’s small business. 

“Our small business is a family bank,” she said. “My great-grandpa ran the bank first and since then my grandpa ran it, and now my uncle runs it.” 

The bank, Hardin County Savings, was established in 1868. With a small business like this, there is more of a connected feeling within the product. A bank’s product may be a promise of protection over money, but the family branded business seems to appreciate any and all dependability. 

“Our family bank is important to my whole family because it has been passed down for generations,” Sogard said. 

That domestic bond is highly respected in the business. After all their success over many years, even the pandemic was hard for them.  The historical changes caused by COVID-19 have made small businesses have to tackle new challenges, and with those, the Sogard’s family bank is not left out.  

“Owning a small business makes it easier to have sympathy for other small businesses that have struggled through the pandemic,” Sogard said. 

Even with the concern of her own business, Sogard was able to open her eyes to how shopping small is important to other individuals’ income as well. Not only was she drawn to small businesses after being raised with a family working one, she saw the truer quality from the products.

“I recommended people shop small because small businesses often have more of a personal touch than large businesses because all their effort is going into the business,” she said.